Synthesis and Structure of a Heptacoordinate Trichlorostannane Bearing a Triarylmethyl-Type Tetradentate Ligand

Trichloro[tris(3-tert-butyl-6-methoxyphenyl)methyl]stannane (1), containing a tetradentate ligand with three methoxy groups as coordinating sites, was synthesized by the reaction of the corresponding (triarylmethyl)lithium species with tin tetrachloride. In contrast to the cases of the previously reported silicon and germanium analogues, 1 decomposed during column chromatography on silica gel and was slightly unstable against moisture. X-ray crystallographic analysis of 1 showed a heptacoordinate structure with interatomic distances between the oxygen atom and the central tin atom shorter than the sum of van der Waals radii.